10 RECORD OF AURORAL THE NO MEN A. 



N. B. — 1. Gave nearly as much light as that of a full moon. 



2. Dimmed, and sometimes almost obscured the stars. 



3. It appeared generally to the south of the zenith. 



4. Did not affect the magnetic needle. 



5. Appeared very near. 



At Sea.— Lat. 5T° 30' N. Long. 45° W. Tuesday, October 3, 1820. Fisher. 



"The Aurora Borealis appeared very beautifully from nine till eleven o'clock this evening, forming 

 an arch extending from east to west across the zenith; almost the whole of the south side of the 

 hemisphere was indeed illumined by it, but it was not seen to the northward, except near the 

 zenith. 



It presented at different times a beautiful display of some of the prismatic colors, particularly the 

 red, orange, yellow, and green; lake was also a predominant color in some parts occasionally. 



With respect to the different forms that it assumed, and its various movements, I consider it impossible 

 to give a correct idea of them by words. It appeared sometimes in immense sheets of light, 

 moving rapidly along the surface of the sky; and at other times it darted in straight columns, 

 from different parts of the sky towards the zenith. The most remarkable appearance, however, 

 that it presented, was a sort of serpentine motion that it had at one time, from west to east, 

 across the zenith. 



The electrometer was tried, but it was not affected, nor did we hear any noise such as has been said 

 to be produced by this phenomenon. 



Whether the Aurora Borealis dims the light of the stars or not, I can hardly pretend to say ; but I 

 can affirm this much, that I could see very plainly, in the thickest part of it, the four small stars 

 forming the diamond-shaped figure in the constellation of the Dolphin, from which I imagine 

 that a great part of the dimness that appears to be occasioned, is owing to the stars and Aurora 

 Borealis being nearly of the same color." — Fisher, pp. 288-8'.). 



N. B. — 1. Whole southern hemisphere illuminated. 



2. At times, displayed prismatic colors. 



3. Electrometer not affected. 



4. Heard no noise. 



5. Small stars seen plainly through thickest part of it. 



At Sea.— Lat. 58° 12' N. Long. 49° 15' W. June, &c, 1146. Clerk of the California. 



"We had the Aurora Borealis some nights this month, as we had had at times from the 28th of 

 June, when to the ivestward and sotcthrvard of Farewell. 



The Aurora Borealis in June was from the southeast, then shifting round to the east. Its appearance 

 was like to that of a small yellow cloud, about forty degrees above the horizon, which soon shot 

 out a stream towards the zenith, which stream consisted of a variety of colors — black, blue, flame- 

 color, &c. — continually vibrating; and, after several emanations, which lasted for a small time, 

 would collect and fold itself into the cloud, and then shoot out again. 



The color of the others, in general, which we saw both in the bay and also after our arrival in 

 Hays's River, was a yellow or buff color, with large streams shooting out, and then contracting, 

 as we often see them in England, excepting some in the beginning of November, which were 

 like that in June. 



The radii of the Aurora Borcales which we had in the bay, shot from the southward." — Voyage to 

 Hudson's Bay, II, 11. 



